Brassiere construction



Dec. 7, 1954 ,T. B. SCHAUMER YBRASSIERE CONSTRUCTION Fi led May 2 19INVEA' TOR.

ATTOENEY.

United States Patent Ofiice 2,696,004 Patented Dec. 7, 1954- 2,696,004BRASSIERE CONSTRUCTION Theo B. Schaumer, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 28, 1951, Serial No. 228,583

6 Claims. (Cl. 242) This invention relates to brassieres, andparticularly to the breast cups of such brassires.

The conventional type of brassiere is well adapted to enhance theappearance of the female figure by appropriate uplift and support of thebreasts. Nevertheless, when the breasts are underdeveloped, suchbrassieres are of little help. Accordingly, various expedients have beenused to cover the breasts with a well-rounded, ideally shaped,artificial breast form.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide breast cups thatartificially simulate not only the appearance of natural, well-formedbreasts, but also their yielding characteristics.

It is another object of this invention to provide such breast cups(capable of being permanently installed in brassieres or removablyinserted in the fabric breast cups) that are inexpensive to manufacture;and yet that do not absorb moisture, are light in weight, comfortable towear, and capable of repeated laundering without deterioration.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objectswhich may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of severalembodiments of the invention. For this purpose there are shown a fewforms in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the presentspecification. These forms will now be described in detail, illustratingthe general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood thatthis detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, sincethe sfope of the invention is best defined by the appended c aims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a brassiere incorporating theinvention, the brassiere being in extended position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, taken along a plane correspondingto line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a cup incorporating the invention, a partof the outer covering being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a modified form of the cup; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the cup shown in Fig. 4.

The brassiere structure is shown as provided with the body-encirclingside members 1 and 2 joined to a central member 3. The central member 3and the side members 1 and 2 are joined, as by stitching, to the cups 4and 5.

The brassiere may be provided with the usual adjustable shoulder straps6 extending from the top of the cups 4 and 5 to the side members 1 and2. These side mem bers may be provided at their ends with appropriatefastening means, such as the hooks 7, and a short strap 8 which isprovided with a plurality of eyes 9.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate a cup structure that may be permanentlyattached to the side member 1 and central member 3, or that may bemerely inserted into the fabric forming the cups. Thus, there is aspiral member 10 having a tip 11 from which the turns proceed outwardlytoward the base turn 12. This member is made from thin, flexible,plastic material, such as a polyvinyl or polyethylene material, which isflexible, but substantially not stretchable. The Wide surfaces of theseturns cooperate to define the contour of the cup. The inner portion ofthe cup may be covered with a suitable fabric lining 13, and a cover 14may be provided extending over the top surfaces of the member 10. Thiscover member 14 may be appropriately sewed to the corresponding sidemember 1 and the central member 3.

The turns of the spiral are quite widely spaced. In the free position,the turns assume the cup-like contour, and resiliently resist flatteningof the cup.

In use, the breast cup forms a simulated well formed breast, which isflexible in response to pressure and yet which has suflicient resiliencyto assume the predetermined contour as defined by the member 10.

In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a pair of spaced bands 15 and 16, ofmaterial similar to that described in connection with the member 10, isprovided. These bands are joined by angularly spaced members 17, 18,etc., to provide a spider-like construction. The center portion 19 iscupped to correspond to the apex of the breast cups. The wide surfacesof the bands 15 and the members 17-18 correspond to the cup contour.

A fabric lining 20 may be provided if desired, as well as an outercovering layer 21. The cup shown in Figs. 4 and 5 may be attached to theside members and the center member, being seen as before.

In this form of the invention, the cup is pliable, as in the first form,and has sufficient resilience to return to the desired contour whenfreed from pressure.

The plastic material is not affected by moisture and, accordingly, itmay be washed or cleaned in a simple manner. The cup members without anylining may be used as inserts in brassiere cups.

The inventor claims:

1. A breast cup for use in connection with brassieres, formed ofresilient plastic material that is flexible and resistant to moisture,and having a flattened cross-section, said material being thin in adirection through the cup and having integrally joined arcuate portionsof decreasing diameters ending at an apex region.

2. A breast cup for use in connection with brassieres, formed of aplurality of spaced turns of resilient plastic material that isflexible, and having a flattened crosssection, the material being thinin a direction through the cup, the flat surface of the materialcorresponding to the cup contour.

3. A breast cup for use in connection with brassieres, formed of aspiral of spaced turns, expanding toward the base of the cup, and madefrom flexible plastic material, and having a flattened cross-section,the wide surface corresponding to the cup contour.

4. A breast cup for use in connection with brassieres, including aseries of annular bands made from thin flat material, the wide surfacescorresponding to the cup contour, and angularly spaced members of thinmaterial, forming said bands, and having the Wide surfaces alsocorresponding to the cup contour.

5. A breast cup for use in connection with brassieres, including aseries of bands made from thin flat flexible plastic material, andangular spaced members of thin flat flexible plastic material, joiningsaid bands, the wide surfaces of the bands and members corresponding tothe cup contour.

6. In a device of the character described: means defining a breastreceiving cup; and means for determining the shape of said cup,comprising a flexible resilient member formed of a plurality of spacedconcentric arcuate elements integrally joined together and secured tothe cup, said flexible member having a flattened crosssection, saidmember resiliently opposing inward deformation of said cup, and having aflat surface conforming to the contour of the cup.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 45,843 Mason Jan. 10, 1865 191,365 Pike May 29, 1877 1,239,520Reeves Sept. 11, 1917 2,294,589 Waterbury Sept. 1, 1942 2,391,417 HillDec. 25, 1945 2,425,673 Ferguson Aug. 12, 1947 2,445,767 Dickerson July27, 1948 2,489,591 Saifady Nov. 29, 1949 2,524,621 Cadous Oct. 3, 19502,579,365 Conde Dec. 18, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date908,429 France Apr. 9, 1946 990,244 France May 2, 1949

